Electric switch.



C. E. ANDERSON.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 1, 1916.

1 ,@36-, 1 33 Patented Aug. 7, 1917. W

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ONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE BRYANT CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CON- ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. '3, 1913..

Application filed September 1, 1916. Serial No. 113,045.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL ERIC ANDERSON, a citizen of the United States of America, and residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented a certain new and Improved Electric Switch, of which the following is a specification. a

My invention relates to electric switches and particularly to the switch-operating mechanism, the object of my invention be ing to provide a simple and inexpensive mechanism of improved construction adapted to effect a snap make and break action for the contact piece.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section through a flush switch showing my improved switchoperating mechanism embodied therein;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section therethrough;

Fig. 3 is a detached perspective of the op: erating lever and associated parts;

Fig. 4 is a perspective of the switch frame; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective of switch blades and their carrying yoke.

The switch here illustrated is of the flush type comprising a cup-shaped body 10 of insulating material, the interior chamber 11 of which houses the switch contacts and operating mechanism. A usual supporting bar 12 is secured by screws 13 across the open face of the body 10 and receives the screws 14 by which the cover plate 15 is held in position. The ears 16 at the ends of the bar 12 have slots 17 therein by means of which the switch may be mounted in an outlet box (not shown) in well known manner. Depending from opposite sides of the mid-portion of the bar 12 are wings 18 preferably integral with the carrier bar and forming therewith the frame in which the switch mechanism is mounted. Wire terminals 19 are located on depressed ledges in the corners of the receptacle and the-switch terminals 20 are connected to the straps 21.which extend into the switch chamber 11 from the wire terminals, all in a manner well known in the art. A cross strap 22 let into a recess in the bottom of the body 10 may be employed to connect the terminals at one end 'neck beneath of the switch body Where a connection of this sort is desired.

The switch mechanism proper comprises a thumb lever 23 projecting beyond the face 1plate and provided with a grip such as the all 24 at its outer end by which the lever may be rocked on its pivot pin 25. The ring 26 pierced by the pin 25, is rigidly secured in a central aperture in the carrier bar 12 in any suitable fashion, as for instance by forming a neck at the lower end thereof and peening over the lower margin of the the bar 12. The lower end of the thumb lever 23 is recessed on its opposite sides at 27 to receive studs 28 struck from the outer ends of a pair of identical links 29 which coiiperate to form a toggle lever. Like studs 30, struck from the middle portion of the links 29, but on the opposite faces from the studs 28, form trunnions for the toggle lever having bearings in the frame 18. At their lower ends the links 29 are perforated at 31 to receive the reduced ends 32 of an abutment plate 33 centrally perforated at 34 to permit the end of the spring guide pin 35 to pass freely therethrough. The switch spring 36 is coiled upon the shank of the guide pin 35 and bears at one end a ainst the abutment plate 33 and at the ot er end against arms 37 formed near the op osite end of the pin. The head 38 of the l yoke 40 which carries, insulated therefrom, the switch blades 41 and 42. Inwardly projecting bosses 43, which may be integral with the rivets 44 by which the switch blades are secured to the yoke 40, form the centers on which the yoke oscillates in the frame 18.

The bearings for the toggle lever and switch yoke 40 are formed by slots 45, one in each side of the frame 18. These sides are odset toward each other at 46 so as to form in efiect a pair of open bearings, one at the top of the slots 45 for the studs 30 of the toggle lever and one at the lower ends of the slots for the studs 43 of the switch yoke 40. The spacing between the depressed portions 46 of the frame is so predetermined with relation to the spacing between the toggle links 29 that upon the insertion of the thumb lever 23, toggle 29 and abutment plate 33 in assembled relation, the studs 30 atter passes through a slot 39 in the of the toggle pass into the slots 45 and bear against the upper ends thereof in extreme position. The diameters of the lower end of the thumb lever 23 and of the abutment plate 33 are such as to maintain the studs 30 in the slots 45.

On the other hand, the spacing between the studs 43 of the switch yoke 40 is greater than the overall diameter of the depressed portion 46 of the frame 18 so that the yoke 40 may be assembled upon the frame by merely pressing the latter up against the action of the actuating spring 36 until the studs 43 clear the shoulder 47, whereupon the studs may be moved across the latter at its depressed portion 46 and into the slots 45. The expansion of the spring 36, which is normally under compression, forces the studs 43 down into the lower end of the slots 45 against which they bear. Similarly the same spring normally maintains the studs 30 of the toggle seated in the upper ends of the slots 45. On the operation of the switch, the downward swing of the lower end of the thumb lever 23 forces the toggle 29 downward and the studs 30' move downward in the slot 45. The length of the depressed portion 46 of the frame is so predetermined however, that the movement of the studs 30 is confined to the area thereof.

To limit the extent of oscillation of the yoke 40, the fan-shaped lower ends of the side frames 18 are shouldered at 48 to af ford stops against which the yoke is halted in its extreme on and oif positions. The throw of the toggle lever 29 is limited by its connection to the thumb lever 23 which oscillates on a fixed axis.

It will be readily recognized that the mechanism described is extremely simple to assemble requiring neither rivet nor bolts to secure the parts together, except the single cross pin 25, on which the thumb lever 23 oscillates. All of the parts may be readily struck from sheet metal, while the assembled mechanism affords an excellent snap action for the make and break movement of the switch blades.

Various modifications in details of construction will readily occur to those skilled in the art without departing from what I claim as my invention.

I claim as my invention 1. In an electric switch, a slotted frame, an oscillating switclrblade carrier and' a toggle lever having bearings in the opposite ends of the slot in said frame, an operating lever jointed to said toggle lever and swinging on a fixed axis,.together with a switch spring interposed between said toggle lever and switch blade carrier and serving to bias the latter on the actuation of the operating lever.

2. In an electric switch, a frame, an oscillating switch blade carrier pivoted therein, a toggle lever having a slide bearing in said frame, an operating lever jointed to said toggle lever and swinging on a fixed axis, together with a switch spring interposed between said to gle lever and switch blade carrier and serving to bias the latter on the actuation of the operating lever.

3. In an electric switch, a frame, having a pair of open bearings therein, a toggle lever pivoted in one of said bearings, a switch-blade carrier pivoted in the other of said bearings, and a switch spring operatively interposed between said toggle lever and switch blade carrier and serving to maintain the latter normally seated in their respective bearings.

4. In an electric switch, a frame, having a slot forming a pair of open bearings therein, a toggle lever pivoted in one of said bearings, a switch-blade carrier pivoted in the other of said bearings, and a switch spring operatively interposed between said toggle lever and switch blade carrier and serving to maintain the latter normally seated in their respective bearings.

5. In an electric switch, a frame, an operating lever having a fixed axis of oscillation, a switch blade carrier having a fixed axis of oscillation and an intermediate toggle lever having a slide bearing in the switch frame, and jointed to the operating lever, together with a switch spring operatively connected at its 0 posite ends to said toggle lever and switc -blade carrier respectively, for the purpose described.

6. In an electric switch, a frame, an operating lever having a fixed axis of oscillation a switch blade carrier having a fixed axis 0 oscillation and an intermediate toggle lever having intermediate its ends a slide bearing in the switch frame, and jointed at one end to the operating lever, together with a switch spring caring at one end upon the other end of said toggle lever and operatively engaging at its opposite end the switch blade carrier.

7. In an electric switch, a frame, an operating lever having a'fixed axis of oscillation,

a switch blade carrier having a fixed axis of oscillation and an. intermediate toggle lever having intermediate its ends a slide bearing in the switch frame, and jointed at one end to the operatinglever, together with a a switch spring hearing at one end upon the other end of said said toggle lever and operativ'ely engaging at its opposite end the 9. In an electric switch, a switch frame having a supporting yoke, the sides of which have portions spaced different distances apart, and slots in said sides forming oppositely faced open bearings differently spaced, for the purpose described.

10. In an electric switch, a switch frame having a supporting yoke, the sides of which each have one portion offset from the other, registering slots one in each side extending through the offset portions of said sides and forming open bearings differently spaced, substantially as described.

11. In an electric switch, a switch frame having sides with oppositely faced open bearings, a switch blade carrier pivoted in one of said bearings and alever pivoted in the .opposite bearing and a switch spring interposed between said lever and carrier and serving to normally maintain the latter in their bearings, substantially as described.

12. In an electric switch, a switch frame having sides with oppositely-faced open bearings, a lever lying between said sides and resting in one of said bearings, a switch blade carrier straddling said sides and resting in the other bearing and a switch spring interposed between said lever and carrier and holding the same normally seated in their bearings.

13. In an electric switch, a switch frame having substantially parallel side pieces with a bearing therein, a toggle lever comprising a pair of links lying between the sides of said frame and having studs entering said bearings, together with means freely engaged between the opposite ends of said links and spacing the latter apart to normally maintain said studs in said frame bearings.

14. In an electric switch, a switch frame having substantially parallel side pieces with a bearing therein, a toggle lever comprising a pair of links lying between the sides of sald frame and having studs entering said bearings, together with means freely engaged between the opposite ends of said links and spacing the latter apart to normally maintain said'studs in said frame bearings, said means comprising at one end an operating lever to which said links are freely jointed, and at the opposite end, an abutment plate freely jointed in bearings in said links.

15. In an electric switch, a switch frame having substantially parallel sides with an open bearing therein, an operating lever extending between said sides and having recesses on its opposite sides, in combination with a cooperating toggle lever comprising a pair of links arranged between the sides of the frame but lying on opposite sides of the operating lever and having studs struck from the juxtaposed faces thereof to enter the recesses in the lever and for a joint therewith, and studs struck from the opposite faces of said links to enter the bearing in the frame sides.

16.- In an electric switch, a-switch frame having substantially parallel sides with an open bearing therein, an operating lever extending between said sides and having recesses on its opposite sides, in combination with a cooperating toggle lever comprising a pair of links arranged between the sides of the frame but lying on opposite sides of the operating lever and having studs struck from the juxtaposed faces thereof to enter the recesses in the lever and for a joint therewith, and studs struck from the op 0- site faces of said links to enter the bearlng in the frame sides, together with an a butment plate arranged between the opposite ends of the links and freely jointed thereto, substantially as described.

17. In an electric switch, a frame having a carrier bar and depending side members outwardly offset from each other at their free ends and having bearings opening to the offset shoulder.

18. In an electric switch, a frame having a carrier bar and depending side members outwardly offset from each other at their free ends and having bearings opening to the offset shoulder, in combination with an oscillating member straddling said frame and having trunnions freely passed across the reduced portion of the frame sides into said open bearings.

19. In an electric switch, a frame having a carrier bar and depending side members outwardly offset from each other at their free ends and having bearings opening to the offset shoulder, in combination with an oscillating member straddling said frame and having trunnions freely passed across the reduced portion of the frame sides into said open bearings, together with stop shoulders on said offset portion of the frame limiting the movement of said oscillating member.

20. In an electric switch, a frame comprising opposed members having corresponding offset portions and ofl'setting' shoulders and open bearings therein extending through the offsetting shoulders.

21'. In an electric switch, a frame c0mprising opposed members having correspondlng offset portions and offsetting shoulders and open bearin s therein extending through the offsetting s oulders together with a pivoted switch member having trunnions resting in said bearings and passed into said bearings across said shoulders.

22. In an electric switch, a frame comprising opposed members having correspondlng ofi'set portions and ofisetting shoulders aiid'open bearings therein extendrec wlth a pair of pivoted switch members having differently spaced trunnions resting in the hearings in said differently spaced reaches in the opposed frame members and passed into said bearings across opposite sides of said shoulders.

23. In an electric switch, a frame and a member pivoted thereon, one of .said ele- 10 ments having offset shoulders slotted to memes form open bearings, and the other element having trunnions passing freely across said shoulders into said bearings.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence 15 of two subscribin Witnesses.

CA L ERIC ANDERSON. Witnesses:

G. W; GoonRmeE, H. M. WICHERT. 

